2020 Kia Sorento

The Kia Sorento offers everything a family would need in a utility vehicle. With modern styling, gobs of technology and safety features, three rows that seat up to seven people, available all-wheel drive and two powertrains, the aging SUV maintains its position as a do-it-all value.

For 2020 the Sorento is sporting redesigned bumpers and lighting on the front and rear that give it a more premium and athletic look. A new trim, the S, now sits mid-pack and offers 19-inch black wheels and black low-profile roof rails.

The base L and LX trim pair a 185-horsepower 2.4-liter inline-four cylinder engine to a six-speed automatic transmission, and the more premium S, EX and SX trims feature a 290-horsepower V6 matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The base four-cylinder engine is only available for L and LX trims and comes with a six-speed automatic transmission. The small engine is slightly underpowered and the six-speed automatic transmission doesn’t help much. The larger V6 engine offers better acceleration. It’s quiet, refined and smooth enough not to give the driver any indication of what’s going on under the hood. It’s 290 horsepower and 252 pound-feet of torque offers plenty of go-power and can tow up to 5,000 pounds.

The Sorento’s ride quality might come close to serene. When combined with decent sound insulation, the comfy ride could be mistaken for that of a more expensive vehicle. In undesirable weather, the Sorento’s all-wheel-drive system provides good traction, and the ability to lock in the drive wheels makes easy work of tackling deep snow.

The Sorento’s interior is upscale and classy, with a much more expensive feel than its modest price tag suggests. The front seats have well-defined padding and offer plenty of support. The standard cloth upholstery used in lower trims feels durable and high-quality, though the leather upholstery is worth the investment in the S trim or higher. 

The second row is wide enough for three people, but the seat bottom’s low position is awkward for taller passengers. Headroom in this space is reduced on the Sorento EX and SX, which have a panoramic sunroof. The second row has a tilt feature that aids access to the extremely tight third row, a space that is reserved primarily for kids. One upside to the second row’s low seat bottom it makes loading kids into the back seat easier when it’s in a folded position. Think carefully before installing child seats into the second row, however, because they do not fold with a car seat.

Base trims come with a 7-inch touchscreen and the SX comes with a larger 8-inch screen and a Harman Kardon sound system. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility is standard across the board. Kia’s infotainment software is simple to use and offers up a clever split-screen view of the different functions in use. The sound from the stereo is crisp, and its fills the well-insulated Sorento with clear audio in all three rows.

All trims but the base L come with blind spot monitoring, forward collision alerts and avoidance and rear cross-traffic alerts. The EX and SX have added adaptive cruise control that comes to a complete stop and lane keep assist.

The Sorento was awarded a Top Safety Pick + designation from the IIHS, with “Good” marks in all categories except for the headlights. It’s a common occurrence to see the ratings agency ding an automaker’s lighting for not being bright enough, but the Sorento’s top trims earned a “Good” rating for headlights. Front crash prevention was rated as “Superior” with optional equipment on board, and the LATCH system ease of use was given an “Acceptable” rating due mostly to the anchor points being buried under-seat padding, making them slightly more difficult to access.